Trucking's Watkins Dies of Cancer at 71

LAKELAND - William "Buz" Baker Watkins IV, of the prominent Lakeland trucking family, died of cancer Monday at age 71.

Watkins was the former board vice chairman of Watkins Motor Lines, a national trucking outfit that spent four decades in Lakeland before its acquisition by Memphis-based FedEx Corp. last year.

Most recently he served as chairman of Watkins Associated Industries, a transportation and real estate development firm with offices in Lakeland and Atlanta.

The Thomasville, Ga., native was an Army veteran and member of First United Methodist Church.

His father, Bill, founded Watkins Motor Lines in Thomasville in 1932 hauling produce from the family's farm.

By 2005 the private company's annual revenues totaled $1 billion, and it employed more than 10,000 people nationwide, with facilities in 42 states.

FedEx completed its $780 million acquisition of the business in September and renamed it FedEx National LTL.

Watkins' brother, John, served as the firm's chairman and chief executive and continues to head Watkins Associated Industries.

Son Chip Watkins left FedEx LTL in March to become board chairman of truckload services for Watkins Associated Industries, which includes Lakeland-based firms Sunco Carriers and Land Span in addition to Highway Transport Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn.

Please see the obituary on page B4.

Kyle Kennedy can be reached at kyle.kennedy@theledger.com or 863-802-7584.